Constrictor 98TA

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jacksonsz1998:
<strong> i was wondering what you guys thought of the gm hot cam. is it worth getting or no. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Alot of people have gotten pretty decent results from the Hotcam. It is a very lopey cam, and for that reason alone shouldnt be run in an A4 unless you plan on getting tuning.

In an M6 without tuning, you can expect between 340-360RWHP depending on your other mods.

For someone wanting a cheap 20-30RWHP boost in power with stock heads and stock programming, its an excellent deal.

BigPlanTransAm

how much does it go for? or is there a site i can find it on?

niphilli

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by BigPlanTransAm:
<strong> how much does it go for? or is there a site i can find it on? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">SDPC--------------------------------->

Joe Dirt

Yeah, it's cheap. It was also designed for an LT1...NOT an LS1. There are plenty of cams that ARE specifically designed for the LS1 that make better power, have a better idle, and better drivability. The Hotcam accels in only one area...price. Unfortunately, you only get what you pay for in this case.

98blackSS

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Joe Dirt:
<strong> Yeah, it's cheap. It was also designed for an LT1...NOT an LS1. There are plenty of cams that ARE specifically designed for the LS1 that make better power, have a better idle, and better drivability. The Hotcam accels in only one area...price. Unfortunately, you only get what you pay for in this case. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I disagree about only acceling in price. Alot of guys on here have made great power gains and times with the hotcam. Yes there are cams out there that make more power, but you're making it sound like there's nothing to be gained using one. Not true at all...

DaleMX

iTrader: (4)

I agree, nice job of Dispelling ignorance 98BlackSS.

Raven

My car gained 39 RWHP with the addition of the HotCam, plus tuning and a ported TB <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> I have an A4. The idle is lopey - but that's what makes it cool! My last pull read 370 RWHP / 360 TQ (Hotcam + all the usual bolt-ons).

Do a search, and you'll find all the pro's and cons argued back and forth about the HotCam in about a hundred threads. It all depends on what your needs are whether the HotCam is for you or not.

For me, the Hotcam was a perfect fit for my driving habits (daily driver) and budget. <img border="0" alt="[judgement]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_judge.gif" />

Good luck <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

-Bradster <img border="0" alt="[driving]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_driving3.gif" />

EDIT: P.S. - Speed Inc. performed all of my installs and tuning. They are the best <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" />

<small>[ March 19, 2003, 08:01 AM: Message edited by: Raven99 ]</small>

Joe Dirt

"but you're making it sound like there's nothing to be gained using one."

Oh really? Show me where I said that. If you can show me where I stated that there is nothing (or even little) to be gained from a Hotcam, I'll buy you one and send it to you free of charge.

Let's review...

"It was also designed for an LT1...NOT an LS1."

That's a WELL known fact.

"There are plenty of cams that ARE specifically designed for the LS1 that make better power..."

This is true. Do you need examples? I didn't think so.

"have a better idle"

Boy is that a no-brainer!

"and better drivability."

Another no-brainer.

"The Hotcam accels in only one area...price."

"Accels" I think that word would imply doing something exceptionally well. Name one thing the "Hot"cam does exceptionally well other than not costing much. We've already discounted it being in the upper echelone in power production (now I NEVER said there was no power to be gained with a Hotcam...did I? I hope making a descent gain over the STOCK cam isn't your idea of "acceling" in the camshaft field), idle, and drivability. Or am I missing something?

Don't get peeved at me just because you bought an LT1 cam that does nothing exceptionally well in an LS1. <img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" /> Next time do your research beforehand and you won't have to waste your efforts sticking up for a blatantly subpar part in a futile attempt to make yourself feel better about your ill-advised purchase.

<small>[ March 18, 2003, 07:13 PM: Message edited by: Joe Dirt ]</small>

98blackSS

I'm certainly not going to argue you and your whopping 7 posts worth of technical knowhow on cams.. Specially designed for the LS1? If I hear one more newbie make this claim I'm going to have a breakdown.. There's a million different cam grinds out there now for the LS1. Please stop using that dumb argument..

DaleMX

iTrader: (4)

Well Joe, what do you recommend?

zTrackerz

It's all a matter of choice. I personally don't like the Hot Cam. I read a lot of post and many people are happy with this cam. The price is pretty good too.

If you plan on doing heads in the future I would go with a higher lift higher duration cam.


Also the cam has a lope to it. I am kind of into cams with little or no lope that make descent power..

And basicly what people think of a cam is basicly did it meet their needs...... Do you want a lope, something streetable, what future mods do you plan?

<small>[ March 18, 2003, 08:01 PM: Message edited by: zTrackerz ]</small>

98blackSS

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by zTrackerz:
<strong> It's all a matter of choice. I personally don't like the Hot Cam. I read a lot of post and many people are happy with this cam. The price is pretty good too.

If you plan on doing heads in the future I would go with a higher lift higher duration cam.


Also the cam has a lope to it. I am kind of into cams with little or no lope that make descent power..

And basicly what people think of a cam is basicly did it meet their needs...... Do you want a lope, something streetable, what future mods do you plan? </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">hit the nail on the head.. it's about what you want out of it. I like the lope myself <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

CW 99 Z

TrackerZ hit the nail on the head. It all depends on what your looking for. Joe Dirt, I think your being a little harsh. No, the hot cam wont give the most peak hp, but it will give you a solid 350 or more with bolt ons. The key to this cam(or where it accels) I think is the reliability. With the low lift you dont have to worry about breaking a spring and trashing your motor. Also, you dont have to spin the motor to 6700 to make peak power like you do some of the other cams. I'm not knocking these cams by any means, as a matter of fact I think its amazing to get this kind of power, but I'm not willing to risk the motor in a car that I'm still paying a pretty good size payment on. Now about the sound, I love it. The more lope the better. I'm from the old school where a 230 duration cam is considerd small. I use to put cams in old muscle cars so they would sound good, the hp gain was just a bonus. Like TrackerZ said, Its all in what you want. For reliability, sound, price, and decent performance, I think its a good choice. BTW Joe, you show me how you can put a LT1 cam in an LS1 and make it run I'll give you my car <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_images/icons/tongue.gif" />

CW 99 Z

Why do you keep saying its designed for the LT1, because it has the same specs? I had a 230-230 comp roller in a gen 1 small block. Does this mean the 230 cams for the LS1s were designed for a 40 year old engine? To tell you the truth, the LT4 hot cam wasnt much of a succes in the LT engines. The LS1 version gives much better gains. Maybe the hot cam was actually designed for the LS1 and they just decided to try it in the LT1. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> LS1 engines were being tested in 94 vettes if you didnt know.

Joe Dirt

"LS1 engines were being tested in 94 vettes if you didnt know."

Never heard that one. Maybe the Hotcam was one of the earlier rejected cams? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

You'd think with all GM's money they coulda at least made the thing work exceptionally in at least some regard in at least one engine. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

The ZO6 cam impresses me more as far as GM cams go. At least it's clean, idles and drives like stock.

JS

iTrader: (4)

Whats the intake centerline of the HOT cam?I know its on a 112LSA but I need the intake center line is in at?

Joe no offense but 39 RWHP is nothing to sneeze at especially for a cam that peaks at 6000/6100.This is nice cam thats reliability safe and will idle just fine with a edit session.

JS

jacksonsz1998

i was wondering what you guys thought of the gm hot cam. is it worth getting or no.

2000LS1Z28

The GM LS1 Hotcam is definitely good bang for the buck. Great price(including LS6 springs), easy on valvetrain, solid performance, and great lope. With tuning, this cam will behave just fine. Loves the spray too.

I've seen enough dyno graphs & track #'s to dictate that this cam makes good power on stock heads for what it is if set up properly. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

Mike

Bluestreak

For some reason, the LS1 hot cam has been the red-headed stepchild of internal modifications since it showed up on the market. Modify your car for your own tastes, everyone else be damned.

I echo many of the sentiments above. There are cams designed to provide more power. More power means less reliability and shorter engine life. And what kind of a power differential are we talking about here? Maybe 5-10 RWHP. If you're a nut about the dragstrip and want every last pony, I'd suggest a different cam with symmetrical duration and higher lift.

I went with it for many reasons. First and foremost - at a time when many folks had experienced spring failures on lifts greater than 0.550"+ (and caused varying degrees of damage to their engines), I had yet to hear of a hot cam causing such a problem. As my car was a daily driver at the time, reliability was of the utmost importance. I ran the hot cam without programming and drove the car to work every day for almost a year without incident. In Orlando traffic (which is awful to say the least) with the A/C on blast and 100+ degree heat, the cam worked perfectly. The lumpy idle is not a hinderance and it was the other deciding factor, as I wanted the car to rumble like an old big block. It's a fun cam to have in your motor.

The entire kit cost me $375 on group purchase in Feb. 2001. I installed it myself with some buddies. I went to the dyno 100 miles after the install following an oil change... on stock exhaust manifolds, I gained 20 RWHP and 17 RWTQ. When I added G-hann 1-7/8th long tubes (which everyone told me I was crazy to get 1-7/8ths instead of 1-3/4ths) I picked up an additional 39 RWHP and 25 RWTQ. Are these gains typical? Probably not. Are they possible? Absolutely. I have the dyno graphs to prove it.

Do what you will with your own car. Mod it to suit your tastes and goals - just be sure you know what they are. I've seen more than one disappointed LS1 owner completely change configurations to better suit what they wanted versus what they got. Research and follow your instincts. Superchips owes me a dyno tuning session and I should teeter on the brink of 390-400 RWHP when they're done, on stock heads. Again, don't let anyone tell you the hot cam isn't a performer... because it is. This philosophy has paid off for me...

Best 'o luck...

Joe Dirt

...And don't let anyone tell you that the Hotcam IS a performer until they've track tested it (I've seen many track times from Hotcam owners and well...let's just say there aren't many (any?) on the fastest list) against another cam (just go to the sponsor list at your right pick one with about the same amount of total duration. Most any of them will outperform it.) That's why you see people swapping out Hotcams for TR cams, B1s, T1s, F1s, X1s, etc, etc.... all the time. But when is the last time you heard of someone swapping from one of those cams to the Hotcam? <img border="0" alt="[jester]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_jest.gif" /> Nah, ain't gonna happen. Human nature is to progress.

You can pick up 2-3 MPH in the 1/4 or pay more and pick up 5-6. Nothing wrong with either approach. Some want to go fast...some just want their car to idle like it's fast. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />